Sluggish Gameplay

[Velik]

While playable, the gameplay is really sluggish.
I've turned videos off, I've turned some of the GFX settings down.

AMD 3500+
Radeon 9200 SE -128 MB
1G Ram
Windows XP - Updated

Its hard to describe, everything just seems slow.. is it that my PC cant handle it? It seems to meet the requirements..

 

[Velik]

I noticed some others have DxDiag files posted.. thought it would be a good idea to include mine. Sorry for the double post.

 

[Zydor]

You gottwo problems - the Radeon 9200 SE,it s low end card only just inside the hardware spec for the game (lots of Radeon 9200s / 9000s have surfaced on thei board with issues since V1.52

Read this, its a list of things to reduce the video load
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=3584260#post3584260

Your second, and equally important issue is you do not have AGP enabled on your PC. Thats a killer for any graphics card, but doubly so for the 9200.

Bak in 10 - getting a few refs for you to sort the AGP

Regards
Zy

 

[Velik]

AGP isnt enabled? This was built before I actually started doing anything to do with PC's (Taking an A+ course now)

Thanks.

I tried changing "memsaver" but it didnt seem to do anything while in game.

 

[Neon Deon]

AGP isnt enabled? This was built before I actually started doing anything to do with PC's (Taking an A+ course now)

Thanks.

I tried changing "memsaver" but it didnt seem to do anything while in game.

Name make and model number of your MB would help.

 

[Zydor]

Dxdiag entry:
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Not Available
Draw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run

Ok -you got a lot of work ahead ....

In priority order

First fix the AGp - read this
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=3577004#post3577004

Then Read this, its a list of things to reduce the video load
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=3584355#post3584355

Your 9200 SE is an old card, and whilst the driver is in theory out of date on your PC (from dxdiag - Driver Date/Size: 8/3/2004 23:56:42, 201728 bytes), it maybe better to try the 4.12 drivers shown in the above as they are more likely to be stable for your card - try both shown, but I suspect the 4.12 will be better.

Sounds as though you have never had AGP enabled since you had it ..... the reason other games will have worked is because you have a good cpu, and it pulled you through. Now you are into a true 3D game, Civ IV, the weakness surfaces. The 9200s are low end of the requirements for the game,but many - not all - have worked ok, soits worth beavering away,but keep expectation on the level, dont rush it, take your time stepby step, and we might make it ...

If you hit issues or problems post any time we will do our best to help

Regards
Zy

 

[Velik]

I used CPU-Z and it says "MS-7025"

The actually MB is
MSI K8N Neo 2 Platinum

 

[Velik]

Another double post.. but anyways.

Today I tried to update to the most recent drivers from Omega. My whole PC slowed itself down, when closing windows it would hang for a second. I uninstalled them and put in the newest version of the ATI Official Drivers (Catalyst).

I've always had some issues, maybe one isnt completely uninstalled...

I think that link goes right back to this thread also..

I've also played many other games easily, and still do.

World of Warcraft, Counter Strike/Half Life Source, Enemy Territory, Star Wars Battlefront 2.

All of them work fine.

 

[Neon Deon]

I use cat 4.12 (not the beta) and they are rock solid.

Yes it does look like the links loop back.

Minor glitch. I am sure ZY is working on that one.)

 

[Velik]

Yeah, I wasnt sure if it was a bug with the new one, or something I did.

Could it be the DxDiag is saying I dont have AGP enabled when it actually is? By some fault of the backwards ass way my PC was probobly built?

 

[Zydor]

Sorry bout that ....

links fixed

EDIT: No, dxdiag is vertually always on the button 99.999% of time. let Neon takethe AGP - he is better into that than I

Regards
Zy

 

[Neon Deon]

Well agp can be kina funky.

Try the most simple method first.

Smargart.

rightclick on desktop/properties/settings/advanced

go to smargart tab and change setting to 4x if it is not greyed out.

If it is greyed out then list your bios version. You dont have to flash the bios just change a setting. No big deal really.

Anyways, see if changing the smartgart tab works first.

If not then you may have to get new chipset driver or go into the bios.

 

[Velik]

I dont even have a SmartGart tab. When I was installing the newest ATI drivers I saw it mention SmartGart, but I dont see it.

I went and checked in my BIOS settings and everything concerning AGP appears to be fine and enabled.

 

[Neon Deon]

I dont even have a SmartGart tab. When I was installing the newest ATI drivers I saw it mention SmartGart, but I dont see it.

you have ati control center look in there then.

 

[Velik]

I looked, but there doesnt seem to be any way to change settings under the Catalyst Control Center.

Thats what I get.

---------

Edit - I clicked "Wizard" under the start menu and it said it wasnt supported by my current drivers.

I've got a feeling this is going to go alot deeper than expected

 

[Zydor]

Found your board - nice board ...
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/custompc/reviews/62416/msi-k8n-neo-2-platinum.html

Thats a Windows XP supplied driver, it knows nothing about Smartgart, thats why you cant see it.

You will need to load an ATI (or omega driver) for it to show.

Have to go - leave for work in 6 hours. Neon will pick you up - probably going to want you to load the catalyst 4.12 driver set - but wait for his post

Regards
Zy

 

[Velik]

Ah, I thought I installed them earlier. Ah well.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Neon Deon]

Ah, I thought I installed them earlier. Ah well.

Thanks for the help.

Ok plan B.

download and install 4.12 ccc whql from here.

http://www.driverheavendownloads.net/ati.htm

Should be like second to last i think.

Dont run it.

Use driver cleaner from ati site to clean the old drivers off first.

reboot into safe mode.

When in safe mode install the 4.12s

Then go to control center and there should be smartgart there.

No fastwrites and 4x.

Good luck

 

[Velik]

It gave me some odd error, said they werent "normal" drivers. Going to retry the latest ATI Catalyst Drivers. I think I installed them wrong previously.

Alright. I think its something with safe mode..

The error tells me something along the lines of

"Install a normal VGA driver first"

 

[Velik]

I installed the latest drivers no problem. I see a bunch of options pertaining to my video ect. I dont see anything about Fast Write or 4x.

The drivers are installed sucessfully.

Anti-Aliasing
Anisotropic Filtering

Those are set to let the application decide.

Edit - Game runs alot smoother now, dont think its going to get any further. Thanks.